The field of the invention is generally that of microscopic viewing, comparing and/or measuring apparatuses intended for performing any or all of certain viewing, comparing and/or measuring operations relative to any of a variety of different types of miniature specimens, such as miniature circuit boards, components, and combinations of components, and/or miniature circuit boards in the micro-processor, micro-chip or molecular electronics field, although not specifically so limited.
In the past, microscopes for viewing micro components or circuit boards or the like have been provided with arrangements for mounting the specimen on a viewing stage (often, transparent or apertured to provide for bottom or transmitted light illumination) and the viewing stage has been arranged for mounting in a mutually perpendicularly adjustable manner in the viewing plane and where precise measurement was concerned, measuring scales have been provided lying in mutually perpendicular relationship where such is desired to allow measurements to be taken relative to the specimen mounted on the viewing stage and in certain prior art situations, where comparison was desired, a known physical object of known physical dimensions might be placed close to the specimen on the viewing stage and viewed together for allowing visual comparisons to be made. However, this was quite limiting and did not provide the desired flexibility for comparison purposes. Also, in certain prior art systems, the viewed image of the specimen might be received by a television camera and after appropriate enlargement and/or image intensification or contrast enhancement or other desired image modification, might be viewed on a television picture tube by one or more individuals. In such a prior art system, a separate image might be electronically combined with the specimen image, but this has not been precise enough, because of variations in such electronic and television systems. Thus, a composite comparison reference image and the specimen image could not be relatively comparitively measured to any great degree of accuracy in such a prior art system.
It is quite clear that the prior art systems of the type mentioned hereinbefore have major disadvantages, arising primarily from the fact that they provide what might be termed "qualitative" microscopic viewing systems, rather than "quantitative" and highly accurate microscopic viewing systems capable of providing very precise and accurate direct measurements or comparative measurements, and it is clear that any improvement in such microscope viewing, comparing, and/or measurement apparatus which would eliminate the above-mentioned prior art limitations and disadvantages would be highly desirable and this is precisely the type of improved microscopic viewing, comparing, and/or measuring apparatus which is provided by and in the present invention, and which has the advantages mentioned immediately above, together with others implicit in the novel aspects of the present invention, and which virtually completely overcome most presently known prior art problems, disadvantages, and/or limitations, with all of said advantages of the present invention flowing from and occurring by reason of the specific features of the present invention pointed out hereinafter.